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The differences between application engineers and contracting engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an application engineer and a contracting engineer. Additionally, a contracting engineer has an average salary of $122,620, which is higher than the $92,921 average annual salary of an application engineer.
The top three skills for an application engineer include technical support, java and C++. The most important skills for a contracting engineer are C++, C #, and R.
| Application Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,921 | $122,620 |
| Hourly rate | $44.67 | $58.95 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 111,338 | 115,631 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An application engineer is responsible for creating and re-designing system applications based on clients' specifications and sales demands. Application engineers run diagnostic tests on software programs, identify areas of improvement, install necessary updates, upgrade optimization, revise system codes, and provide technical support for customers' needs. They also generate ideas and locate other business opportunities by analyzing current trends in the technology market that would help build revenues and increase profitability for the company. An application engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, software application processes, and general technology disciplines.
A contracting engineer specializes in overseeing engineering projects, focusing on the legalities of contracts between clients and engineers to ensure fairness in all parties involved. Most of their duties are administrative, such as gathering and analyzing data, conducting research and analyses, setting budgets and guidelines, drafting commercial tenders and other paperwork, maintaining records, and executing contracts. They are also responsible for handling contract issues and concerns, solving them promptly and efficiently. Additionally, a contracting engineer maintains an open communication line with all parties to ensure a smooth workflow.
Application engineers and contracting engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Application Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,921 | $122,620 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $125,000 | Between $86,000 And $173,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Morgan Lewis | EquiLend |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between an application engineer and a contracting engineer in terms of educational background:
| Application Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between application engineers' and contracting engineers' demographics:
| Application Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 11.5% White, 74.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |